


Compound Fracture

by poetically_ordinary



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, M/M, New Avengers, One-Sided Relationship, Past Relationship(s), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Sokovia Accords, Team Cap Critical, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 11:37:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9383303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetically_ordinary/pseuds/poetically_ordinary
Summary: In the time after the Accords, the Avengers try to navigate all of the new changes.





	1. Chapter 1

Nothing was as it was supposed to be. Or even remotely close to how he’d imagine it’d be in the hundreds of times he envisioned this moment.

At first, everything started out as he would have expected. Tony had fought with the Accords Council and had managed to get all of the provisions that he’d promised Steve back before everything fell apart. They had been uploaded to an online website maintained by the Accords and Steve barely gave them a glance until T’Challa had made it a requirement of remaining within the palace at Wakanda. They left a sour taste in his mouth still, and he couldn’t be sure if it was because they were _too good_ now.

 _‘Just sign the damn papers.’_ Was the only reply he ever got from the brunet a couple of months in when he mentioned it in one of his messages, with no other replies to any of the texts that Steve sent back at the request.

“You shouldn’t waste your time with that one.” Clint berates him one of the times he catches him typing out a message to Tony over breakfast.

“He’s one of us.” Clint snorts and rolls his eyes at the answer.

“Sure he is Cap.” Steve doesn’t say anything to Clint’s final two cents on the subject. Wanda, who has always been the first to see the darkness inside Tony surprises everyone when she enters the common room with her signed copy of the most recent draft of the Accords.

“Wanda what the hell?” Sam asks as she drops it on the table.

“I want to go home.” Is her answer to the question.

“Yeah, but this isn’t how to do it.” Clint says as he reaches for the papers.

“This is the only way to return. Thanks to Stark, the Accords aren’t going anywhere.” Steve shakes his head at her statement.

“No Wanda, when they need us they’ll reach out.”

She turns to look at him, her eyes scanning his face and possibly a little bit more than just his face as she shakes her head. “And how long should we wait for that Steve?”

“Stark’s bound to fuck something up soon enough. Poster child for these bloody leashes and when he does, they’ll go away.” Clint says with full sincerity and Wanda shakes her head but Scott speaks up before she can say anything.

“No they won’t. They’ll allow you to help for that incident on provision, and then they’ll just turn around and you’ll be right back at the start once the issue has been handled.” Scott says without looking up from whatever he’s messing with in his hands.

“And how long before he does it again? A week?” Clint argues back and Scott shrugs.

“Then they’ll do it again, and again, and again until either you resign or you’ve signed.” The thought makes Steve uncomfortable, the thought of constantly being on the run, of being trapped in Wakanda and only being let out of his cage when the Accords deemed it so.

“So what are you saying Scott? If you’re so sure that this isn’t going away, why haven’t you signed them?” Sam asks and Scott shrugs again.

“I did.” He says simply and all of them stare at him flabbergasted. “I signed two days ago.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell us?” Scott finally looks up from what he’s fiddling with to give a bored look to Clint.

“Why? Would it have mattered? It’s my choice and I did it. Didn’t feel like having a pow wow over it afterwards.”

“So you would have what? Just sold us out?” Clint growls and Scott shakes his head with an eye roll.

“Whatever Barton, I signed and that’s the end of it. I’ve already been contacted by a lawyer and they’re dealing with the rest of the issues that I’ve got hanging over my head. No one’s asked me about the rest of you or about turning you in. Good to know what you think of me though.” Scott says and Clint goes to step forward towards the engineer and Steve puts a hand on his arm.

“Don’t. This isn’t helping anything.” He says to the archer and Clint shrugs his arm off in frustration but takes a seat again. “So you’re leaving us.” He asks Wanda and Wanda shakes her head.

“I’m here to tell you all to sign so that we can _all_ go home.”

“I’m not signing that damn agreement. I just got out of one life agreement with SHIELD oh wait Hydra, I’m not signing my life over to a government agency again.” Clint snaps.

“Then declare yourself retired again. You can go home.” Scott offers.

“Shut the hell up Lang.”

Wanda looks at Steve and slides the draft towards him. “Look it over, think on it. Do you want to stay here forever? Locked in here?” She glances away for a second. “Without Bucky?” Steve sits up straighter at that.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Bucky signed the Accords last night.” Wanda says. “He signed at the same time I did.” Steve feels like he’s back in the artic. The thought of Ross commanding the Winter Soldier without care for Bucky is like all of his nightmares made reality.

“Bucky’s in cryo.”

“He’s been awake for almost a week.” Wanda says slowly, almost like she’s uncertain if she’s supposed to be revealing this information. “There were some…developments regarding his treatment and the King woke him up to discuss it with him.”

“Why wasn’t I told? Why wasn’t I there?” Steve demands and she shrugs.

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask them.”

~+~

“Bucky’s awake?” Steve asks the second he sees T’Challa in the hallway. The woman beside the King looks ready to say something less than flattering to Steve but T’Challa holds up a hand to prevent it.

“Mr. Barnes is currently out of Cryo, yes.” He answers and Steve feels a betrayal cut through him at the admittance of the King’s wrongdoing.

“Why wasn’t I told?” He barely manages to keep his tone level and T’Challa doesn’t seem too impressed by his effort.

“Mr. Barnes did not request your presence or your awareness. He is in control of enough of his faculties that he was determined more than capable of making decisions for himself on his own wellbeing without unasked for council.”

“And what kind of decisions was he making?” Steve lets the obvious distrust that T’Challa has now fostered leak through his voice. Funny how the moment Steve turns his back, Bucky and Wanda decide that signing the Accords is a good idea.

“You’d have to discuss that with him Mr. Rogers. Unfortunately I do not have the information or the inclination to answer you at this time.” T’Challa walks away from him, leaving him standing there in the hallway by himself. It takes Steve a total of two seconds to decide that he’s going to have to go speak to Bucky himself and get the full scope of the damage done on his own.

Steve heads down to the area where Bucky used to room when he was awake. It’s slightly off the beaten path that the Avengers usually take, but Bucky had wanted some space from the others for a while. Steve understood that, so he allowed the separation from the others. He’s about to knock on the door when he hears a familiar voice through the wood, it makes every hair on his neck stand up as he pushes his ear against the door.

“Statistically speaking, I can’t answer that. We’re in uncharted territory and I won’t promise anything I can’t be sure I’ll deliver.” Tony’s voice is unmistakable through the barrier.

“But I qualify?” Bucky asks and Steve frowns, qualify for what?

“Yeah, you qualify.”

“When can I get started?”

“As soon as you get here in theory.” At the words, Steve realizes that Tony’s not in the room with Bucky – a realization that eases the fear in his chest a slight bit – but instead must be image or film talking with Bucky from the states. “Jennifer has everything well in hand, so I figure that you’ll be able to come back stateside in a matter of weeks. If we’re lucky.”

“Is there anything else I can do to help?”

“Nah, just sit tight. If Jennifer needs anything else I’ll send it on over.” There’s a pause for a moment where Steve can’t hear anything, it’s broken when he hears some kind of rustling and shuffling. “Oh, you got it. Thoughts? Suggestions?”

“Thank you? That’s really the only thought I’m having?”

“It’s fine, don’t thank me James. I did take your last one remember? Only fair that I replace that piece of junk with something better.”

“You didn’t owe me a new arm Tony.”

“I felt like I did, and let’s leave it at that?”

“…well, in any case. It’s beautiful, I’m kind of excited and I can’t wait to get it on.”

“Just remember to read the instructions…or have TADASHI read them to you.” Tony warns and Steve feels a moment of hope at the amused undertone to the brunet’s voice. Tony’s let go of his issues with Bucky, they’re starting to get along. It’s all that Steve ever wanted from the two of them.

“Will do.”

There’s some noise in the background before Tony lets out a cry of “Harley! What are you-” It cuts off for a moment. “James I have to go. I’ll keep in touch; let me know how the arm turns out. Underoos, I swear if you two-” Tony cuts off and Steve imagines that he’s cut off the image call thing. Steve takes a moment to get his wits about him before he goes to knock on the door. He doesn’t get a chance to as it’s opened moments before his hand reaches it and Bucky is standing there with an almost displeased look to his face.

“It’s rude to listen in to other people’s conversations.” He scolds and it takes Steve a moment to catch up.

“I…I heard Tony, since when are you two talking?” Steve asks and he backtracks a little when he thinks he’s come on too strong. “I mean it’s great, I’m just surprised…that T’Challa is letting you talk to him. He is letting you right?”

“King T’Challa is aware of it yes.” Bucky just keeps standing there in the door and Steve feels awkward.

“May I come in?” He asks and it takes Bucky a moment before he nods and stands to the side. Steve enters and looks around. The arm is on the bed, wrapped up in Iron Man gift-wrapping and Steve wants to roll his eyes. Only Tony would send an apology and still somehow make it about himself. “It looks nice…have you…I mean have you had the doctors here look it over?”

“For what?” Steve knows that tone, it’s Bucky’s challenging tone and Steve feels on edge.

“If Tony built it…he could have done something to it. You never know.”

“I guess we’ll find out then.” He says and Steve shakes his head.

“It’s not safe Buck. You know that.” Bucky shifts his weight and would undoubtedly be crossing his arms if he had the ability to.

“No I don’t Steve, I don’t know anything other than: it’s mechanical, it’s shaped like an arm and Tony built it from scratch.”

“Exactly, he could have done something to it at any of those stages.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Steve clenches his fist, a frustration pouring through him.

“How long have you been talking to Tony? I can’t even get him to text me, but he’s building you arms and calling you? How do you not know that he’s not just playing you?” Bucky’s frown darkens a little.

“I called him the day before I went into cryo the first time.” He answers after a moment. “Then I talked to him when the offer for the Binary Augmentation came through. He’s been keeping me up to date on everything.”

“So a week.” Steve clarifies. Wanda said that Bucky had been awake a week but it’s clear on the other’s face that this isn’t the case.

“I’ve been out of the cryo tube for a week at this point. I go in and I come out.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to know.” The words, so simply spoken stop Steve dead in his tracks. Why wouldn’t Bucky want him to know that he was awake? Why didn’t he want him to know that he was talking with Tony? That he was planning on going back to the states sometime soon?

“…why?” Steve manages to get past dry vocal cords and for the first time Bucky looks contrite.

“I needed some time alone Steve, I told you that.”

“And I gave that to you. I made sure no one bothered you.” Bucky shakes his head.

“You were here every day…you wouldn’t let me out of your sight for those first few days. I get it, you were worried that I was going to disappear, but…you were too much at times and you weren’t _listening_ each time I told you I wanted to be alone.”

“I was listening.” Steve says aghast and Bucky just gives him a look.

“If you were listening then that means that you were hearing what I was saying and you just decided that you didn’t care.”

“What? No! Buck! That isn’t it at all! I was trying to make sure that you were comfortable and that you felt safe.”

“Then you weren’t listening.”

“And what – Tony listened?” Steve doesn’t know where the comment comes from, or the sneer in his tone when he says the billionaire’s name. He sees the look on Bucky’s face and he backtracks instantly. “I’m sorry, that was out of line. I’m just…I’m trying to figure out what’s going on. I’m trying to figure out why you felt you had to hide from me. Why you couldn’t talk to me about anything…I’m your best friend.” Steve watches as Bucky’s face twists like he’s bitten a lemon.

“Don’t do that Steve.”

“Do what?”

“Make this about you.” He says in response to Steve’s question and Steve feels like he’s been slapped.

“What? I didn’t.”

“Steve…just…look. _I_ needed space. _I_ chose to not tell certain people that I was awake. _I_ chose to reach out to Tony. _I_ chose to sign the Accords since I’m sure that’s what brought you my way. _I_ made those choices after all of this time not being able to. Are you going to take that away from me?” Steve shakes his head quickly.

“No, no of course I’m not…I just…I want to be sure that you’re making the right choices Buck.” That’s clearly the wrong thing to say.

“And who decides what are the ‘right’ choices for me Steve? You? Is that what you’re getting at?”

“Bucky, I don’t want to fight you. I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“Then accept the choices I’ve made.” Bucky takes a second. “If I need your assistance or opinion, I’ll ask for it.” The phrase doesn’t sound like Bucky, it sounds like someone else talking through Bucky and it makes all the warning signs go up in Steve’s mind, but Steve realizes that he can’t attack this problem head on. Bucky’s closed off to him and unlikely to accept his help.

“…Okay…so…when are you going to the Compound? I assume that’s where you’ll go when you leave here?”

“Not sure yet.” Bucky says slowly. “Tony thinks that the safest place for me to start out will be at the Compound surrounded by the Avengers, in case something happens or someone tries something during the program.” Two things catch Steve’s attention in the comment.

Tony wants Bucky surrounded by the Avengers at the Compound to look out for him. That must be why he’s been pushing so hard for them to sign the papers and to come back home. The second thing though is the comment of ‘program’. “What program?”

“The Binary Augmentation. They think it can nullify the triggers that Hydra put in my brain. Karen thinks it’s a good idea and Tony’s pretty confident that it’ll work.”

“Karen?” Bucky gets shifty eyed again.

“Yeah, it’s...” He stops himself, clearly changing answers before continuing. “She’s my therapist.”

“You’re talking to someone? That’s great Buck.” Steve smiles and Bucky shrugs, still looking uncomfortable with the information. “You could have just talked to Sam if you wanted, still could. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I could get it set up with-”

“I like Karen.”

“But Sam is a little more qualified to deal with-”

“I said I like Karen.” There’s no room for arguments in Bucky’s voice and Steve nods, backing off.

“Well, that’s good to hear.” There’s a knock at the door that stops any future conversation as Bucky opens it to reveal one of the doctors who have come for Bucky and the arm. “Did you want me to come along?” Steve asks moving forward and Bucky shakes his head.

“I’ve got it Steve. See you soon.” Steve stands there as the door closes, that heavy feeling returning.

~+~

“What?” Clint snaps as Steve hands out the Accords.

“I said I think we should look at it. Maybe it’s not what it was anymore. If Wanda and Scott think it’s worth it, we can at least take a look right?”

It’s the first time that some of them have looked at the papers and it takes less than three days before the final signatures on drying.

Steve got it all handled before Bucky was even out of recovery; he goes to bed feeling accomplished.

~+~

“So we’re all going back to the Compound? All of us? Barnes included?” Sam asks for final clarification and the woman who has introduced herself as Bruce’s cousin nods.

“Yes. As of right now, most of you will have no problem getting fully reinstated into active duty and we’re still working on Miss Maximoff’s visa, but she’s allowed to separate her time between the Compound and Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters for now until she completes her training.”

“What do you mean ‘most of you’?” Clint asks and Jennifer looks up at him.

“As mentioned, Miss Maximoff does not have Avengers Active Duty clearance until she completes her training regimen and can prove that she is fully in control of her powers. And I guess any of you who can’t pass the physical or the training simulation.”

“Did _Stark_ have to jump through hoops in order to still be an ‘Active Avenger’?” Clint sneers and Jennifer just gives him a bored look.

“Mr. Stark is not currently on the ‘Active Avenger’ roster.” That shuts them all up.

“What?” Steve asks and she starts putting the papers back into her bag.

“Mr. Stark is currently not cleared to be out on the field.” Clint starts laughing while Sam and Wanda fail to hide their smiles.

“So he goes through all of this and he’s no longer fit to be an Avenger. That’s classic.” Clint crows and Steve thinks he sees a flash of green in Jennifer’s eyes – but that’s impossible isn’t it? – before it’s gone.

“Well, I think that is all for today. The plane will be taking off tomorrow morning at seven. Be on time or catch your own ride.” She gets up, with a final nod to Bucky and a bow to T’Challa before she leaves the area. Clint’s wiping his eyes from the tears that have formed.

“Well at least something good came of all of this. Guess karma made Stark her bitch.” He grins. “About damn time.” Steve watches as T’Challa’s expression becomes completely neutral and Bucky’s new metal fist clenches.

He wonders what that’s all about.


	2. Chapter 2

It was much later when he learned that it took FRIDAY over three hours to mobilize the backup armor and get it all the way to the Siberian base to rescue him. While he was hooked up to various machines in an effort to stabilize the damage done and compounded to his body he learns that Captain America – no Steve Rogers – abandoned him entirely in a disabled suit and fled with the Winter Soldier to parts unknown.

_FRIDAY has the location of Wakanda on the screen as Secretary Ross and Everett ask him if he knows where his wayward team mates have gone. Tony just minimizes the data and shakes his head with a helpless smile. He’s so sorry he can’t be of any more help he tells them._

_The lie doesn’t faze him in the slightest. He figures it’s the kindest way he can say goodbye to the Avengers without actually getting the chance to do it._

_If Ross wants them, Ross can find them on his own. Tony’s done being helpful._

The Accords mandated therapist asks how Tony’s feeling in the aftermath of the Avengers split. She wants to know how he’s processing this divide.

He tells her that he’s holding out hope that they’ll find their way back to him someday. They’re friends after all, family even. He doesn’t say that this is the lightest he’s felt in years. He doesn’t say how he feels like he can _breathe_ again after all of this time pinned under their weight. He doesn’t want the extended sessions that would no doubt come from that sort of revelation and luckily the therapist never calls him out on it.

He’s informed by Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel and the new leader of the Avengers that his medical status doesn’t allow active duty. He can tell that they all expect some kind of fight from him at the news but he doesn’t bother. He’s so tired of fighting anyways, and besides he’s got other projects to work on that are much more important than stepping back into the fray. Peter needs a better suit, one that will protect him from ally and foe alike since that seems to be the days they’re living in, and Rhodey needs to walk again. Plus there’s the added issue of Secretary Ross having any authority or imagined power over the Avengers.

The bullshit letter he gets from Steve ends up in the fire. He doesn’t have time to cater to that delusional asshole anymore. He’s done letting Steve Rogers have power over him.

Out of sight, out of mind as it were.

The call from Barnes catches him off guard. It’s the first thing that’s truly shaken him since he’s returned to the Compound.

_“’I’m sorry’ doesn’t cut it, and even though I know that – I’m going to say it anyways. I’m sorry Tony, I’m so so sorry. I’m sorry it happened, I’m sorry you had to live through it twice and that one of those times had to be at the pleasure of a sick man. I’m sorry how everyone seems to want to sweep this under the rug and pretend its okay…it’s not okay and I’m sorry that it never will be.” Barnes looks gaunt and ashamed. His words are a strange balm to a wound that Tony had been quite content to pretend wasn’t festering in his chest._

_“For what it’s worth…I’m sorry too.” Barnes looks ready to argue with Tony, probably about Tony’s unneeded apology for attacking him but that’s not what Tony’s sorry for. “No one should have to go through what Hydra made you go through.”_

It was another three weeks, and four more phone calls before the heavy awkwardness between them dissipates.

It takes another five before Tony gets a smile from Barnes.

It’s only two later when Barnes gets a laugh from Tony that Tony doesn’t have to fake at all.

Tony opts to stick his head in the sand and pretend not to notice what’s happening. Barnes doesn’t seem to get the memo, or he just doesn’t feel like following in Tony’s example.

That’s perfectly fine though. Tony’s pretty sure that he can pretend enough for the both of them.

~+~

“They’ve all signed?” Rhodey repeats again and Carol nods.

“Yup.”

“Steve, Clint, Wanda and Lang have **all** signed?” He tries again, clearly unable to wrap his mind around it.

“And Barnes.” Tony offers up helpfully, it doesn’t seem to work.

“Why now?” Is the next line of question Rhodey opens up and Tony doesn’t say anything.

He certainly doesn’t mention the last call between James and him. He doesn’t mention how Maximoff was hovering in the edge of the screen in the background being a horrible sneak. He doesn’t say how her face dropped and something close to betrayal crossing her features when Vision and Jennifer return from their first successful date in the area behind him. That information is between Vision, Jennifer and himself.

“Maybe they realized it was the right thing to do?” Tony offers up and Rhodey rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, and pigs fly. They’re up to something. They want something.”

Tony finds it slightly comforting how no one disagrees.

~+~

“There’s nothing to be worried about Sugar Bear.” Tony assures when Rhodey confronts him in the lab about Barnes.

“Just…be careful okay? Don’t…rush into anything without considering the consequences.” He looks Tony in the eye. “The boat load of consequences and baggage that certain choices might have.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Sure I’m not. Just promise me okay?”

“…I’ll do my best.”

~+~

It’s strange to see James in person, and yet at the same time it’s the easiest thing in the world to return the smile he sends him.

Rogers basks in the fake affection and comradery that Tony throws their way for the cameras and if Tony spends the next hour or so scrubbing off in the shower, who can blame him?

“Where is Vision?” Wanda demands of him the next morning, catching him in the hallway with Doctor Grey. There will always be a distrust between them, Tony tried to fix it but he’s decided that he’ll only bash his head up against a brick wall for so long before he declares it a lost cause.

“Not sure. Call him if you want to know.” Tony goes to walk on when Wanda snaps back, stumbling over nothing and catching herself on the wall. Both sides of the Avengers snap to attention, the old and the new, as Rogers rushes over.

“What happened?” He demands, shooting a look at Tony like he’s somehow managed to harm the little witch through sheer wish fulfillment. Tony doesn’t even bother hiding his eye roll. If he somehow acquired Jean’s powers he doubts he’d waste them on Wanda Maximoff. Or be so obvious about their existence.

“I don’t…what…” Wanda’s clearly disoriented and leans on the arm that Steve offers her. Jean adjusts her glasses.

“In the future Miss Maximoff, using your powers against anyone else without consent or self-preservation requirement will result in severe disciplinary action. This is your one warning.” Steve looks at the doctor with distrust.

“And who are you ma’am?”

“Doctor Jean Grey, I’m the liaison between the Avengers and Xavier’s School for the Gifted.”

“What did you do to Wanda?” Clint all but snarls and Jean doesn’t even flinch.

“A minor telepathic block. Mr. Stark’s mind is not a playground nor is it somewhere where you can just _take_ information that you wish without his consent.”

“What secrets were you keeping this time Stark?” Clint snaps and Tony doesn’t get a chance to respond, not that he was going to.

“What secrets Mr. Stark has chosen to keep or not to keep are none of your concern, nor are they Miss Maximoff’s.” Jean says in a way that is both firm and chastising. Tony wonders if it’s a talent that she’s picked up from Charles. Either way, it ends the conversation quite simply.

~+~

“Alright, hop on up.” Tony says as he hits the top of his work station. Barnes pulls himself up on the tabletop and waits patiently for Tony to return with some tools. “So, how’s it calibrating?”

“Alright I think.” Barnes admits, looking at the arm and Tony nods.

“Any tightness?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Make a fist for me.” Barnes does as instructed. “Release it.” He does that too. “Anything?”

“No, it feels right.” Tony pulls over a rolling chair and plops down in front of Barnes, he holds out his hands and Barnes holds out his arm in agreement for Tony to look at. Tony starts in the wrist and charts down the fingers.

“Everything’s looking pretty perfect from down here.” He mutters around a screwdriver, turning it around in his hands.

“Everything’s looking pretty perfect from up here too.” The statement is said far too casually to be about the arm, and Tony ignores it.

“Stiffness in the shoulder? You should have full range of motion by now. Can we run through some mobility tests?” Barnes nods and Tony stands to be able to gently move the arm into the right positions. He braces the shoulder, being mindful of the rawness of skin still around the surgery implant as he moves the arm up.

Barnes makes a surprised hiss and his other hand shoots up next to Tony’s on his shoulder and Tony freezes. “Pain? Here?”

“Just stiff.” He says with a shake of his head. “It’s fine.” There’s a couple of seconds where neither of them move, before Barnes’s hand slowly shifts to start overlaying Tony’s on his shoulder. There’s a beat, before Tony speaks.

“James…what are you doing?” Tony’s not a hundred percent sure if that’s the question he wants to ask, but it’s the question that comes out. Barnes just looks him in the eye.

“Nothing if you don’t want me to.” The statement hangs in the air between them and neither of them move for a few moments. Tony knows he should take a step back, that he should lower Barnes’s arm and get the hell out of the shop before his eyes flicker down to Barnes’s lips. He’s leaning down before he’s even made a conscious decision to do so and Barnes is tilting his head up – before the door opens with an echoing hiss and Tony immediately pulls back.

Barnes sends an annoyed glare over Tony’s shoulder to whoever has just come in. Bruce isn’t even looking up to realize the situation he’s just stepped into, his eyes are taking in the information on the StarkPad in his hands as he pushes his glasses back up his nose. “Hey Tony, do you have a second to look over some of these projections when you’re finished up here?” He asks and Tony nods.

“Of course. Could you hand me that toolbox over there? I’d ask Dummy but I’d like it sometime today.” Tony stubbornly refuses to make eye contact with Barnes again for the rest of the time doing the diagnostic and practically flees out of the workshop with Bruce the second it’s finished.

Head firmly in the sand? Check.

~+~

“Hey Tony, can we talk?” Steve’s voice catches him in the kitchen at three in the morning and Tony sighs.

“Did you need something Rogers?” Steve gets a strange look on his face at the question before he nods.

“I was hoping that…that we might have a moment to talk some things through. We’ve been here for almost two weeks and I feel like I’ve only seen you in passing.”

“I’m a busy man.”

“You always made time before.” Steve points out and Tony shrugs.

“I had a _want_ to make time before. I don’t feel that same urge these days.”

“Tony, I want to fix this. Whatever it is that’s broken between us.” Steve takes a step towards him and Tony fights every instinct to step back. It wouldn’t help him anyways, he’s blocked in by the counter.

“Unfortunately there’s nothing to fix.”

“That’s not true Tony. Look…I’ve said I’m sorry. What more can I do?”

“Look, I get that you believe you’re sorry.” Tony starts, “but that doesn’t change anything.”

“I am sorry Tony, I am. I didn’t want it to play out like that. You have to know that.” Steve’s eyes are searching. “What can I do? What will fix this? What will…make you trust me again?”

“Nothing.” It’s an honest answer and Tony can tell the moment that Steve rejects it.

“That’s not true Tony. I don’t accept that.” Tony isn’t sure if it’s meant to be reassuring or somehow noble in its resolve, but the statement kind of pisses him off.

“Well, that’s highly unfortunate. Nevertheless, it’s the truth. My days of blindly putting my trust or faith in you are more than over. To be honest, I don’t even fully understand why I did it in the first place.”

“Tony…please.” Steve takes another step forward and Tony pulls back. He’s pretty sure that it’s a clear sign that he’d like Steve out of his bubble, but the blonde moves forward again and practically has Tony trapped against the counter. “I never…I didn’t mean for things to go this way between us…I never wanted this…”

“I need you to back off right now Rogers.” Tony snaps, since obviously the super soldier isn’t reading body language clearly.

“Tony please, I’m trying to…what I mean is that I wanted…what I want…” Tony has no idea what Steve is trying to get out, but he goes to shift around the moron when Steve makes a frustrated sound and then his hand is cupping the back of his neck and pulling Tony into a kiss.

For a moment Tony can’t process anything; and then Steve is pushing closer, his other arm sliding around Tony’s lower back as his lips move against Tony’s and Tony sees _red_.

What the actual fuck. What the _fucking hell_?

Tony reaches up and shoves as hard as he can against Steve’s shoulders, and he has a brief moment of sheer irritation as the realities of super strength make themselves known. It’s when Steve tries to deepen the kiss that Tony’s hand feels along the counter behind him and grabs the coffee mug, slamming it against the side of Steve’s head and showering them both in hot liquid.

That makes Steve finally pull back in complete surprise and Tony takes the moment to push out of the blonde’s radius and he grabs a nearby towel to quickly wipe the liquid off. “Tony?” Steve starts and takes a step towards him and Tony immediately backs off.

“Stay the hell away from me Rogers. Or the next time it won’t be coffee, it’ll be a repulsor straight to your face do you understand me?” He snaps and Vision enters moments later.

“Is everything alright? I was contacted by FRIDAY to offer Mr. Stark assistance in the kitchen?” Steve finally takes a step back at the android’s entrance and Tony shakes his head.

“It’s finished. We’re done here. FRIDAY, make an appointment with Carol please.” Steve’s face gets a small frown on it as Tony leaves the area.

This is not what he wanted to deal with today.


End file.
